And the budget award goes to... BBC presenter Susanna Reid, who's wearing a £50 Oxfam dress to the Oscars

It is considered by many to be the most glamorous - and important - fashion event of the year. But BBC Breakfast host Susanna Reid has spurned offers of dresses worth thousands of pounds to wear a £50 gown from Oxfam to the Oscars.

The floor-length black satin dress, which was made by designer Christopher Kane, was on sale in a West London branch of the charity.

It has understood Mr Kane has since customised the gown with rhinestones. Miss Reid made the choice from a selection of secondhand dresses, including one that was priced at just £19.99.

She told the Daily Mail: 'This year we only looked at charity shop dresses. With the economic downturn there has been an explosion of interest in charity shop chic.
Susannah Reid behind changing curtain (with stylist, Hannah Sandling)

'We were so impressed with what we found - some wonderful items and dresses for remarkable prices. It shows people what treasures there are.'

The 38-year-old presenter will also wear earrings bought from the Oxfam branch for just £9, and her own shoes.

In contrast, Myleene Klass - who was covering the ceremony for American news channel CNN - appeared on the red carpet last night in a designer white lace gown covered in sequins.

In recent years, BBC presenters reporting from the Academy Awards have seen their dresses receive almost as much attention as those worn by Hollywood stars.

Last year, Miss Reid wore a white designer Grecian-style column dress, worth £1,000.

Held together under the bust by a single piece of black material, it also gaped racily at the sides to show almost all of the mother-of-three's back
Susanna Reid trying on lime green dress

In 2001, Rosie Millard - then BBC arts correspondent - famously wore a dramatic Vivienne Westwood creation, that enhanced her cleavage to such an extent that Michael Buerk was prompted to say live on air: 'That was Rosie Millard and the best supporting dress.'

This year, it is understood that the BBC worked with stylist Hannah Sandling and Oxfam to scour 700 of its charity shops to put together a shortlist of five dresses Miss Reid could wear.

One gown - a 1930s pink and cream floor-length number - was donated by an aristocratic family from Yorkshire.

Also on the shortlist was a midnight blue 1950s dress, which was found in the Worthing branch of Oxfam at the bargain price of just £19.99.

Miss Reid started her career at BBC Radio Bristol, before joining Radio 5 Live as a reporter and then drifting into TV.

She lives in South London with her partner, sports broadcaster Dominic Cotton, and their three young children.

by Liz Thomas

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